Search form

You are here

Professional Development

“Hands down, the best professional development opportunity I’ve ever had!”

Our professional development programs draw upon the expertise and wealth of resources that make Plimoth Plantation one of the most well-known and respected living history museums in the country. Workshops are taught by Native and non-Native presenters. In addition to covering historical content that meets state and national curriculum standards, workshops also address the processes of studying American History and effective methods for incorporating museum resources into the classroom. Designed to excite and inspire teachers, our programs blend classroom instruction with hands-on, experiential activities and visits to the Museum’s living history sites. Recent workshops include a Landmarks of American History Summer Institute and Teaching American History (TAH) partnerships with dozens of schools from across the country.

To receive special offers, and regular updates on Plimoth Plantation’s educational programs, sign up for our Education Mailing List.

Customized School, District or TAH Grant Programs

Whether a two hour in-service or a two- or three-day program at Plimoth Plantation, let us design an authentic, stimulating and innovative program for your group. A perfect fit for groups studying Plymouth Colony history, early Colonial history, Native American history, immigration, and cultural interactions.

An overnight experience at the Museum (some of our groups have slept on Mayflower II and our Colonial and Wampanoag education sites)

Sample Workshop Schedule
We believe that in order to understand what happened in the past, we need to understand the people making the decisions. Most of our programs begin with an overview of the Wampanoag, their beliefs and way of life in the 17th century; as well as an overview of the religion, cultural background and worldview of the English Colonists. Other activities, such as working with primary sources, lectures or hands-on activities, build on this information.

Most workshops last a full day and include the cultural overviews, time to see the Museum’s sites and one or two additional activities.

Sample itinerary:

MORNING
View Plimoth Plantation orientation video, Two Peoples, One Story, on the bus
Visit Mayflower II and Plymouth Rock
Travel to Plimoth Plantation
Who Are the Wampanoag: An introduction to the Wampanoag
Who Are the Pilgrims: An overview of the culture and worldview of the Pilgrims

AFTERNOON
Exploring the Museum’s sites
Customized activities (can include primary source workshop, hands-on activities, or other presentations by Museum staff)
Wrap-up and discussion of incorporating content into the classroom

Cost:
$300-$500 per hour of instruction depending on size of group. Most groups have 3 - 4 hours of instruction.
Discounted Museum admission.
Dining options are an additional fee.

Weeklong Workshops Package with New England Museums and Libraries

New England Historic Site Collaborative (NEHSC)
Plimoth Plantation is pleased to be a part of the NEHSC, a group of nine New England historic sites, museums, and libraries collaborating on a series of weeklong teacher training programs. The programs offer a variety of hands-on, intensive and engaging experiences and explore themes of: